NOTES AND ORSERVATIONS. 287 



obtained at will, for he spent two other days on the Heath (one 

 much warmer) without seeing any. With the resemblance of this 

 beetle to a humble-bee the least imaginative of naturalists is bound 

 to bo struck, and he could not help speculating on the method by 

 which it was brought about. When we add to this fact that it 

 has learnt to " buzz " somewhat like a humble-bee also, the problem 

 becomes doubly fascinating. Though Stowell certainly noticed some 

 resemblance to a rove-beetle, he did not take the creature to be 

 coleopterous, and the fact that it could deceive so experienced a 

 naturalist shows that the beetle's attempt at " mimicry " was a decided 

 success. This example of Emus hirtus is about 22 mm. in length, 

 while its greatest width — across the elytra — is about 8-5 mm., so 

 that, when examined at all closely, it is seen to be proportionately 

 more slender than a humble-bee. The groundwork of its colouring 

 is apparently entirely black, but in great part this is disguised by 

 a profuse clothing of long hair. This is bright golden brown on 

 hind part of abdomen, on thorax, and on the bulky head, while 

 on the distal two-thirds of the elytra it is grey. The rest of the 

 animal is left densely covered with black hairs, which are interspersed 

 with brown on antennte and legs. The formidable mandibles are 

 black. The antennae remind one of those of a large humble-bee. — 

 W. J. Lucas. 



Orthoptera in R.H.S. Gardens, 1920. — Mr. G. Fox- Wilson, 

 F.B.S., has shown me a few Orthoptera taken during 1920 in the 

 Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Wisley in Surrey. Of 

 the Forficulodea he has only Forficula auricularia, Linn. ; but 

 amongst the number var. forcipcUa, Steph., occurred. F. Icsnei, Finot, 

 will no doubt turn up ultimately, if not A-ptcnjgida alhipennis, Meg., 

 also. None of the native Blattodea had been taken, but Periplancta 

 australasice, Fabr., P. amcrlcana, Linn., in the nymph and imaginal 

 stages, and Blatta oricntalis, Linn., had been found. The Locustodea 

 were represented by Leptophyes punctatissiina, Bosc, Meconevia 

 thalassinum, De Geer, and Metrioptera brachijptera, Linn. Of the 

 Acridiodea there were Tetrix bipunctakis, Linn., Statiroderus bicolor, 

 Chi'.rp., Chorthippus parallelus, Zett., and Gomphocerus maculatus, 

 Tliunb. No doubt a considerable number of other species remain 

 to be discovered, especially amongst the Locustodea and Acridiodea. — 

 W. J. Lucas. 



Hipparchia sbmele, Linn. (Lepidoptera). — As was no doubt 

 to be expected, the wholesale felling of the Scotch firs on Esher 

 Common, Surrey, brought about considerable changes in the 

 ordinary vegetation of the district, but I was somewhat surprised 

 to meet with Graylings about a hill near the Black Pond on 

 July 29th last. I have for years visited the Common so frequently 

 that I feel certain this butterfly was not present in the district 

 before the felling of the timber. — W. J. Lucas. 



Observations on the Larval Habits op Dimorpha (Endromis) 

 VERSicoLORA, L. — Mr. Morris asks me to make the followinfT 

 correction : antea p. 187, line 9 from bottom, there should be a 

 full stop after "thus"; the next sentence will then read— -"After 

 the purge they turn pink," etc. — H. R.-B. 



